Do you ever just want some pasta but don’t want to go to all the trouble? You can cook pasta in the microwave in just minutes without turning on the stove! And, you can do this with penne, spaghetti, elbow pasta, just about any kind. This post contains affiliate links.

Close up of penne pasta with a basil leaf

Table of Contents

Why Use A Microwave?

There are tons of reason to do this.

The biggest reason is you might not have a stove top, such as at college in a dorm room, or maybe you’re in a hotel and need to cook for yourself — pasta is super cheap for a meal.

Another reason might be you don’t want your kids using the stove. The microwave is a great way to cook pasta without turning on a hot stove.

What do you need to make pasta in the microwave?

Pasta
Water
Microwaveable bowl – I like to use a Corningware casserole dish. It’s deep and microwave-safe.
Optional: Salt
Optional: Olive oil

How do you cook pasta in the microwave?

Place the pasta in a microwave-safe bowl that is deep enough to hold the pasta and the water, so that when it boils, it will not overflow.

This is why I like the Corningware casserole dishes. This 1.5-qt is great to make 1-2 servings of pasta. They also have larger ones where you can make the whole family pasta. I do this often.

Pour cold water over the pasta until it is completely covered and you have about 1/2 to 1 inch of water above the pasta.

Check the package of pasta for the time to cook and add 2 to 3 minutes to that time for the microwave. So, you will set the microwave on HIGH and cook for the time per package PLUS 2-3 additional minutes.

When the microwave is done, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. Be extra careful since this had boiling water and check a piece of pasta for doneness. If it’s still chewy, cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.

Then, drain with a colander.

Top with your favorite pasta sauce.

Can You Cook Spaghetti Pasta In A Microwave?

You can do this with any kind of pasta including spaghetti.

How Long Does It Take To Cook Pasta In The Microwave?

This totally depends on how long the directions on the package of pasta. Just add an additional 2-3 minutes.

However, if you are cooking more than a cup of pasta, the cooking time maybe require additional time. When this happens, I check every 90 seconds for doneness.

Microwave Pasta Recipes

1 serving

How to Cook Pasta in the Microwave

Name: How to Cook Pasta in the Microwave
Prep time: 1 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 11 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 cup pasta; water

Prep Time: 1 minute

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 11 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup pasta
water

Instructions

Place the pasta in a microwave-safe bowl that is deep enough to hold the pasta and the water, so that when it boils, it will not overflow.
This is why I like the Corningware casserole dishes. This 1.5-qt is great to make 1-2 servings of pasta. They also have larger ones where you can make the whole family pasta. I do this often.
Pour cold water over the pasta until it is completely covered and you have about 1/2 to 1 inch of water above the pasta.
Check the package of pasta for the time to cook and add 2 to 3 minutes to that time for the microwave. So, you will set the microwave on HIGH and cook for the time per package PLUS 2-3 additional minutes.
When the microwave is done, carefully remove the bowl from the microwave. Be extra careful since this had boiling water and check a piece of pasta for doneness. If it's still chewy, cook for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Drain with a colander.
Top with your favorite pasta sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 96Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 19gFiber: 1gSugar: 0gProtein: 4g

Any nutritional information on justmicrowaveit.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate.

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